Endodontic instruments and process for producing the same

Abstract

Improved endodontic instruments having multiple tapers and instruments which prevent self-feeding or threading into a root canal during root canal therapy on a tooth are provided as well as a process for producing such instruments. The process basically comprises providing a grinding wheel rotated about a first axis having a plurality of flute grinding ribs and an extra flute grinding rib extending from a periphery thereof. A rotating wire stock is fed past the plurality of flute grinding ribs and the extra flute grinding rib at a feed rate and rotation rate such that a separate spiral flute is ground on the wire stock by each of the plurality of flute grinding ribs and the extra grinding rib. The feed rate and rotation rate of the wire stock is changed during the grinding of the instrument whereby the extra grinding rib follows the spiral path of the first flute grinding rib to thereby reduce the number of spiral flutes being ground on the instrument.

Description

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to improved endodontic instruments and the manufacture of such instruments by grinding a wire stock.2. Description of the Prior ArtEndodontic instruments commonly referred to as files are utilized by dentists for cleaning and enlarging the root canals of human teeth. The purpose of the cleaning and enlarging procedure is to remove infected tissue from the root canals and enlarging the root canals so that they can be filled. A commonly used such endodontic instrument is known as a K-type file which has a tapered shaft including three or four spiral flutes along the length thereof. A preferred form of K-file includes three flutes, the cross-sectional shape of the shaft is triangular and the flutes form three spiral cutting edges along the length of the tapered portion of the shaft. Another type of endodontic instrument, known as a reamer, has three or four spiral flutes forming three or four spiral cutting edges thereon. These and...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

A problem which is often experienced by dentists in using endodontic instruments like those described above involves the self-feeding or threading of the endodontic instruments into the root canals being enlarged which often causes the instruments to break off in the canals.

Another problem associated with the heretofore used endodontic instruments is the requirement that a number of different size instruments having different uniform tapers must be used for each root canal preparation.

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